Tehillim 21 and the Gilgul of Mashiach ben Yosef

Tehillim 21 and the Gilgul of Mashiach ben Yosef

Tehillim 21:5 “Chayim sha'al mimecha, natata lo orech yamim olam va'ed” - (He asked You for life; You granted him length of days forever and ever). the Ari HaKadosh (zchuto yagen aleinu) reveals the hidden meaning of Tehillim 21. Let us examine the fifth pasuk: חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְּךָ נָתַתָּה לּוֹ אֹרֶךְ יָמִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד The final letters of the words - חַיִּם שָׁאַל מִמְּךָ - “Chayim sha'al mimecha” - (He asked You for life) - “mem,” “lamed” and “kaf” - form the word “melech” (king), the initial letters - חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְּךָ - “chet,” “shin” and “mem” - form the word “Mashiach”. Thus, this pasuk refers to the King Mashiach, more specifically to Mashiach ben Yosef. What indicates this? We have examined the initial and final letters; the middle letters remain. חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְּךָ - “yud,” “alef” and “mem”, which, when transformed using Atbash, form the word “mavet” - (death). This corresponds to a midrash from the holy Zohar, in which Mashiach ben Yosef prayed to the Almighty that he should not die at the hands of Armilus the Wicked - the final king of Edom. His prayer was heard, and he was granted length of days. “Length of days” means that his soul will return several times in different generations; and if there are righteous people in that generation, he will be saved from death at the hands of the wicked of Edom and will die in a special manner - through a kiss from the Almighty. (Silatehilim, based on a lesson by Alexander Tzvi Sypkov on “Pri Etz Chaim,” Sha'ar HaAmidah, perek 19, note)